Actors Who Became Unrecognizable After Their Movie Transformation

Makeup and special effects are all a part of the movie magic, but without the actors, a vital part of the experience would be missing. When I go to the movies or see something on T.V. I want to fully believe that the actor I’m watching is actually the character they’re playing. These 12 actors have convinced the audience that they are a completely different person, so much so that you won’t believe it when you find out who they really are. From makeup to losing or gaining weight, to the psychological transformation, these actors held nothing back and put it all in to prove their dedication to the film industry. Some experienced health issues and made hefty body modification when the pretend stuff just wasn’t enough. How many actors can you recognize once in full costume?

1. Christian Bale

60 lbs is what this actor had to lose to fit his role in The Machinist. The measurements in the original script were fillers put in by the writer who is only 5′ 6″, but when Bale, who is 6 feet tall, saw the script, he said he wanted to see if he could reach that level of weight loss. Now that’s what I call dedication.

2. Charlize Theron

This transformation continues to shock me. The actress gained 30 lbs, shaved her eyebrows, fried and thinned her hair, wore prosthetic teeth, and layered fake tattoo ink on to give her skin its weathered look, all to play the role of Aileen Wuornos in the 2003 film Monster.

3. Jared Leto

This actor had to gain 67 lbs for his role as Mark Chapman in the film Chapter 27. He went as far as to microwave ice cream and then drink it. The actor experienced health issues such as gout during the process. That is just one of the many transformations the actor has gone through for his roles.

4. Robert De Niro

Robert De Niro bulked up the muscle for his role as Jake LaMotta in the film Raging Bull, and then gained 60 lbs to play the same character in the same film, but as an older version of Jake LaMotta.